Time Stand Still
by SorryImLate
Summary: Why do the best moments have to go by so fast? Short Christmas fic.


Inspired by the song "Time Stand Still" by Rush, and all of those amazing Christmas fics popping up on the Kakairu community!

x—

The Christmas lights flashed in the tree sat in the corner, flicking back and forth between the branches. Kakashi's eye was drawn to it, following the pattern the light made across the tree, and mentally counting every few seconds before they returned to the centre. With the sun tucked somewhere in the white sky, the tree lights weren't as bright as he preferred, but he had insisted on turning them on, wanting to add that extra little touch to the Christmas feeling.

Iruka was sat on the floor near the tree, looking deeply focussed as he flicked through the small scrap-book Kakashi had made for him. After over two years (and now two Christmases) with the chuunin, Kakashi had learned which kinds of gifts Iruka most enjoyed. He appreciated the scented candles, the clothes, and the next volume of the novel he had been saving up for, but Iruka, who wore his heart on his sleeve, had always preferred the sentimental gifts, and so Kakashi had spent an entire year after last Christmas saving old receipts from cinemas and restaurants, sticking them to a page and scribbling down little memories he remembered within each one. There were photos glued to some of the pages; of the two of them, of team 7, his nin-pack (that Iruka had finally gotten used to), and also, some old, silly letters they had left for each other underneath a magnet against the fridge. This was the third time Iruka had gone through the book, the novelty of the gift apparently refreshed each time he started over.

There was a long, peaceful silence underneath the sound of the oven in the kitchen where the dinner was being cooked. The smell of hot food had leaked through the door and into the living room, making Kakashi's stomach rumble quietly as he recalled how good the dinner Iruka had made last Christmas was.

It had only just passed twelve in the afternoon – Naruto, Sakura, and Sai (whose invitation had been ordered by Iruka personally to ensure the art-anbu would not be alone) were expected to arrive in two hours, and so they had quite a wait before the food would be ready.

He heard his lover turn the heavy page of the scrap book, an amused smile forming on the chuunin's lips at the rare photograph he had snapped one day when Kakashi was in a terrible mood; he had been referred to as _gramps_ by two little brats he had nobly retrieved a stray cat for, and Iruka couldn't hold back his amusement when the jounin stormed inside the house and asked him up front about his appearance and age. When Iruka had threatened to take his picture (which Kakashi had told him repeatedly that he hated!), if the jounin didn't snap out of his foul, unnecessary mood, Kakashi hadn't, for a second, believed he would do it. And at the breath-catching sound of the camera shuddering after the picture, the house blasted with chakra as he fought for the camera.

He had, like a fool, believed Iruka when the chuunin had promised he'd thrown the picture away, but his lover later admitted that it was 'too cute' to bin, and begged Kakashi to let him keep it if he promised never to show anyone. Looking back, Kakashi could now see the funny side (since realising from Naruto's accidental motor-mouth that those two kids with the cat hadn't been who he'd thought), and had swiped the photo from Iruka's storage box to stick inside the album.

The fire crackled quietly behind Iruka. Kakashi looked down at the set of new weapon items he had guided Iruka towards for his own gift, which was set down on the sofa beside him, along with various other presents – including The Icha Icha Paradise Movie on DVD with extra, RARE bonus material!

Three years ago, he would never had been so enthusiastic about Christmas, as the occasion was usually celebrated either alone in his apartment, in hospital, or at the yearly party Tsunade-sama arranged for shinobi who had no one special to celebrate with. The party wasn't so bad, as there were so many ninja like him who had sacrificed relations and friendships for the sake of staying emotionally intact on missions, and so the room was never remotely empty. But when Iruka had opened his eyes to what he had been missing out on for so many years, it was Kakashi who had coaxed Iruka into putting up the decorations a couple of weeks early.

He stole another glance of the flashing Christmas tree as if to make sure it was still there, and despite the fearless shinobi he was supposed to be, on this day, he felt like a child. His stomach fluttered in excitement at the clock ticking down their time before their guests arrived. He felt fresh and new, as though the uniform stripped from his skin and replaced with a dark yukata had washed away the killer inside of him. Every muscle instinctively tensed in battle had loosened, his defences let down as he allowed himself the belief that he deserved this day.

It was an amazing sensation to see the new faces and scenes that surrounded him now, compared to the four cold walls he had become accustomed to before allowing Iruka into his heart. Looking back, he knew he had done the right thing in taking the risk of a relationship with Iruka. So many surprises and experiences had welcomed him throughout their time together, his favourite definitely being Christmas.

Despite his excitement, there was a cold feeling at the back of his stomach, as the morning had passed by without his realising. While the clock ticked slowly at their wait for the guests, he knew once they arrived it would speed up and pass them by again, and in no time, the lights would be turned off, the curtains closed, and Christmas would be over until another year.

He wished he could freeze the time or make it move slower, make every little experience last longer, before the day would be out and he would be back in his uniform, continuing his duty.

Why did the best moments have to go by so fast?

Finished with the scrap-book for a while, Iruka closed it and glanced up at Kakashi with a bright, adorable smile that washed away the sombre feeling, and warmed his heart again.

"Another cup of 'Christmas tea?'"


End file.
